Into the Depths
by Jessi babe
Summary: Elizabeth Murray hates her school, and job. While at work she stumbles across something that takes her into a forest. Happens before the Fellowship


A girl walked angrily down the hallway, daring anyone to get in her way. A scowl was plastered to her face and looked ready to kill. Passing students could hear her mumbling something to herself.  
  
If her fellow students had exceptional hearing, however, what they would hear is, "I hate school. For all I care, our school can just burst into flames. This hallway sucks. The whole school in general sucks. If anyone cared about this school, there would be new lockers and more desks. but no! They spend all their money on sports equipment and uniforms for the cheer leaders..." The rest of the ranting went into detail of the politician's lack of intelligence and integrity.  
  
She angrily entered her French class, and plopped down into her seat. She put her head down not wanting to think anymore, but just to sleep for the rest of the period. It was most unfortunate she sat on the front row.  
  
"Elizabeth, Desirez-vous reprendre du cafe?."( Would you like some more coffee?) Her French teacher, Mme. Martin asked with mock sweetness.  
  
"Je ne sais pas Mme." (I don't know, ma'am) Elizabeth said as she lifted her head from her desk. She did not feel like dealing with this today.  
  
"Pourriez-vous me dire... " (I wonder if you could tell me...)  
  
Elizabeth zoned out immediately after that. Today was not a good day. Her alarm had not gone off at the right time, so she had gotten up at 7:30 and had to be at school in twenty minutes. Not only that, she could not find any clean jeans to wear, so she had to wear a pair twice. Her keys had gotten lost and she spent ten minutes looking for them, then realized they were in the jacket she wore yesterday.  
  
Since the clock in her car did not work and she had no watch, she went as fast as possible through the rain without getting killed. "Of course," she said sardonically. "Of course it would rain today. As if my day couldn't get any better." She ran across the parking lot with her load of books and heavy backpack. Once inside, she sprinted as fast as she could without slipping on the wet floors and dashed into her class a split second after the tardy bell rang.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ms. Murray, but you're going to have to go to the attendance office for being late." her teacher said unsympathetically.  
  
"But Mr. Pa-"  
  
"I don't want to hear it." Mr. Patterson said. "Take the pass," he said as he turned to the rest of the class and started to go over last night's homework.  
  
Elizabeth heaved a sigh and put her backpack and book down on the table.  
  
"Hey Liz," Jessica, her best friend, said. "Why were you late?"  
  
Elizabeth shrugged and said, "Alarm difficulties." Jessica smiled in understanding.  
  
Elizabeth made her way to the attendance office. Since the attendance office was in another building, and her school was too cheap to build covered walkways, she had to go back into the pouring rain. She hated going to that office the ladies in there were positively evil.  
  
"So, Ms.," the lady squinted to read her I.D. tag, "Murray, why is it that you were late to school today, hmm?" She had a sour look on her face and Elizabeth thought it looked incapable of being removed.  
  
"Well, my alarm went off late, and-"  
  
"I don't want to hear that excuse, missy. For the whole year, the tardy bell rings at 7:50, and it has never changed. I expect you to be in detention on Monday right after school. Is that understood?" she asked severely.  
  
"Yes ma'am." Elizabeth knew that if she argued, she would only get in more trouble.  
  
So, she went back to class, now thoroughly drenched, and found she left her homework at home.  
  
"Mr. Patterson, may I please turn in my homework on Monday?"  
  
"Why would you need to turn it then? Why don't you have it today?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I had left it at home, and-"  
  
"You can turn it in, but also do questions 46-68 even and to be nice I'll give you half credit." Elizabeth groaned, because each problem had sub- problems, letters a through e.  
  
"Thank you, sir," was all she could get out.  
  
Later that day, in her Advance Bio class, her teacher had given a pop quiz, in which you have to bring your textbook covered to class. It was an easy hundred.  
  
Relieved to finally get a break in the day, Liz reached into her backpack to find her book was missing. Futilely she searched her backpack, making sure she looked everywhere. 'Why me?' she asked desperately. Even though it was an easy quiz, it counted just as much as a regular quiz, which meant her grade just took a nose dive.  
  
After the embarrassment of not having her book when her teacher came around to check for it, decided to listen to other people's conversations.  
  
"So," began a chipper if not squeaky voice of Presley, a cheerleader, asked one of her friends, "Like, who are you going to prom with, Falyn?"  
  
'How did she get into Advance Bio again?' Liz asked herself.  
  
"Well," answered Falyn, "Tyson said he wanted me to go with him, but then I heard from Megan's sister's boyfriend's cousin that Lucas was thinking of asking me. Like oh my god! He is so hot! So, I like, don't know who to pick." repulsive sigh. "It's just so hard to choose."  
  
'I wonder if the "In crowd" knows that life is not just about social gatherings for the dim witted, I can't wait until our 10 year reunion. All of them will be jobless and living in trailer parks with 6 kids. While I am highly successful and a Billionaire.' Liz thought. She knew she was being unfair but it wasn't like the world was being fair to her. At least that was how she justified it.  
  
Falyn went on of course about the attributes of each of her potential dates, but Liz decided to save what brain cells she had left by tuning out their high-pitched voices.  
  
'What do I care if they have a pick of guys that want to go out with them? The prom's just a stupid dance where people get drunk and end up wondering where they are in the morning.' Liz sighed. 'Okay, maybe I do want to go, not the getting drunk part, that's just stupid. But there aren't guys begging to go with me, to say the least,' she thought with a snort. Not soon enough, Advance Bio ended, but the rest of her classes had not gone much better.  
  
By now she was sitting in her French class, wishing for the ability to disappear. The one thing that kept her from falling completely off the edge of sanity was that it was Friday.  
  
'What a wonderful word, Friday,' she thought. 'Only a two more classes, and freedom. Yes, 63 hours with the absence of school, teachers, attendance office ladies and cheerleaders. True bliss,' she thought.  
  
"Elizabeth, Comprenez-vous?" (Do you understand?)  
  
"Mais oui, Mme.." (Of course) Liz managed, looking around lazily to see what they were doing.  
  
"Vraiment, j'ai pensé vous dormiez. Ce serait trop beaucoup de pour demander que vous faites attention? " (Really, I thought you were asleep. Would it be too much to ask that you pay attention?)  
  
The whole class chuckled. 'Oh yes.' she thought. 'They are so lucky it's Friday.'  
  
By the time the last bell rang for the students to go home, all her anger had subsided into exhaustion and irritability. 'I just want to go home,' she thought. Luckily the sky had cleared and the sun was shining on students rushing to rid themselves of school, if only for the weekend. The decent weather made her a bit more affable and she decided what she wanted to do that weekend.  
  
About two miles from her house, there was a state park that was normally used for camping and as a tourist site. The woods in the park were beautiful, and since Liz hated to camp, she resigned herself to taking day trail rides.  
  
The park used to be the place to be for all the kids her age, but now, it was considered to be boring and not as much fun as going to the movies or the mall. 'Idiots,' Liz thought. 'All the old trees there were magnificent, and all they care about is shopping.'  
  
'But if everyone did go to the park more often, it wouldn't be as fun, because out there you are totally isolated. And running into Falyn or Presley there complaining about the bugs or whatnot would completely ruin it.'  
  
She watched some television, knowing nothing good was on but having nothing else to do. She closed her eyes and was slowly drifting into the realm of sleep when the back door opening and closing brought her back to reality.  
  
"Hey, honey," her mom said. 'Three, two, one,' thought Liz. "So, how was your day?" her mom asked. 'Bingo!' Liz thought. Everyday her mom asks her the same question and everyday she gave the same answer.  
  
"Fine," she answered. Even though she did have a rough day, she was not in the mood to bring it back up again, and especially not with her mother. 'Now, come on mom, don't disappoint me...' she thought.  
  
"Did anything exciting happen today? Did you have a test or quiz?" her mom queried. 'Why is that a test or quiz is considered exciting?' Liz thought.  
  
"Well, no, not really," Liz answered. "Tomorrow can I go riding in the park?" she asked her mom.  
  
"Of course, dear," her mom said. "I just want you back right after they close, is that understood?"  
  
"Yes," Liz said, and turned her attention back to the mediocre TV show. It wasn't that she hated her mom, quite the opposite. She thought that if she told her really what happened at school, her mother would smile and nod, not really understanding the problems her daughter would be throwing at her.  
  
She made another futile attempt in finding a good show, and not finding one, she took a nap.  
  
AN: Chapter number 1. next chapter due up in a couple of days. Don't be Hate'n .Review 


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